The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has allayed the fears of Nigerians on speculations that there will be mass disconnection of telephone subscribers.
The commission noted that the apprehension was due to the ongoing linkage of SIM registration records with the National Identity Number.
The Director, Public Affairs at NCC, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, in a statement issued on Wednesday empahsised that it was erroneous to assume that for every network or SIM connection, there was one unique human subscriber.
He explained that for about 43 million Nigerians with NINs, there could be about 172 million SIMs already linked to NINs.
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This, according to him, is because machines such as Point of Sales, Routers, Wi-Fi devices, electricity meters, CCTV and tracking devices also use SIM cards..
The statement is entitled ‘Clarification on the unfounded first of mass disconnection of telephone subscribers.’
Adinde said, “With the advent of social media and app-driven digital environment, network subscription went beyond human subscribers to include machines like PoS, Routers, Wi-Fi devices, electricity meters, CCTV, tracking devices etc.
“A recent survey conducted in Nigeria has shown that on average, there are now approximately four to five SIMs to every human subscriber. This explains the basis of allowing the linkage of up to seven SIMs to one unique NIN in the recently launched Federal Government portal.
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“Thus, if there are 43 million Nigerians with NINs, this could account for about 172 million SIMs already linked to NINs. It is very important to emphasize that the current exercise of linking NIN to SIM(s) is for the common good of all Nigerians, as it has far reaching benefits.”
The director stated that integration exercise would improve the safety of the country and assist in carrying out vital exercises like national budgeting, policy planning and social intervention programmes, among others.
